The crane the activists climbed is on a construction site where Fannie Mae offices are being built. It's about four blocks from the White House. The activists said they were getting "high-fives and thumbs up" from the operators of another nearby crane.

In social media posts made from atop the crane, the climbers spoke out about a variety of President Donald Trump's policies, including the use of nuclear weapons and immigration.

Streets around the crane were closed as emergency crews tried to get the activists down. The Washington, D.C., police department tweeted, "While we respect everyone's right to protest, today's actions are extremely dangerous and unlawful."